System and method for mounting a specimen on a slide

ABSTRACT

One embodiment includes a system for mounting a specimen on a slide, the system having an immersion chamber, a stage, and a pump. The immersion chamber is configured to hold a liquid and comprises at least one wall, a closed bottom, and an open top. The stage is configured to support the slide, and the stage is arranged within the immersion chamber such that the specimen may be supported substantially above the stage by the liquid. The pump is configured to draw the liquid from the immersion chamber such that the level of liquid in the immersion chamber decreases and the specimen is dispensed onto the slide.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/351,180 filed 3 Jun. 2010, which is incorporated in its entirety bythis reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to the biological research field, andmore specifically to a new system and method for mounting a specimen ona slide.

BACKGROUND

It is commonly desirable in biological laboratories to mount tissuesections, or ‘specimens’, to slides for purposes of examining the tissuesections using a microscope, treating the tissue sections with a stainor dye, and for other purposes. As shown in FIG. 1, conventional systemsand methods for mounting specimens onto slides comprise placing tissuesections in a tall Petri dish filled with water; the specimens typicallyfloat on the surface of the water. The broad side of a slide is thenrested on the rim of the Petri dish and the slide is angled down intothe Petri dish such that the slide is partially submersed in the water.Subsequently, a small brush or glass capillary tube is used tomanipulate a tissue section onto the slide. Typically, the slide isgradually drawn out of the water as additional tissue sections arearranged on the slide. Oftentimes, tissue is embedded in paraffin wax,sliced with a microtome, and then selected sections of the tissue aretransferred to a hot water bath. The hot water bath partially melts theparaffin from around the specimens, and a glass slide treated withadherents is then used to scoop the tissue sections out of the hot waterbath; the wax may help the tissue sections adhere to the slide.Conventional methods of mounting specimens on slides are thus difficult,time-consuming, and labor-intensive.

Therefore there is a need in the biological research field for a newsystem and a new method for mounting specimens onto slides. Thisinvention provides such a system and method.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is an illustration showing prior art systems and methods formounting specimens onto slides; and

FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are illustrations of a system for mountingspecimens onto slides according to various embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description of preferred embodiments of the invention isnot intended to limit the invention to these preferred embodiments, butrather to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use thisinvention.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the system for mounting a specimen 5 onto aslide 40 includes an immersion chamber 10 that holds a liquid 15; astage 30 that locates a slide 40; and a device that draws the liquid 15from the immersion chamber 10, which can be a pump 60 (shown in FIG. 3),a valve 100 (shown in FIG. 4), or any other suitable device. The systemmay also incorporate a manifold 50 (shown in FIG. 3) that allows liquid15 to be drawn from the immersion chamber 10 from a plurality oflocations, such as at two points at the bottom of the immersion chamber10 or from one point at the bottom and one point in the middle of theimmersion chamber 10. A support structure 20 that locates the stage 30may also be included in the system. The system preferably incorporates areservoir 70 that functions to contain liquid 15 drawn from theimmersion chamber 10 (shown in FIG. 3). Furthermore, the system mayincorporate a temperature control unit 80 that modifies or maintains thetemperature of the liquid in or drawn from the immersion chamber 10(shown in FIG. 3). Preferably, the system includes a filter 90 thatseparates debris, such as wax or pieces of the specimen 5, from theliquid so that the quality of the liquid in the system can be maintained(shown in FIGS. 3 and 4). Finally, the system may also incorporate abaffle 110 that minimizes motion of the liquid tangent to the surface ofthe liquid 15, specifically at or near the surface of the liquid (shownin FIG. 5).

The method of mounting the specimen on the slide comprises severalsteps: The first step of the method is to place a slide 40 (or pluralityof slides) on top of a stage 30 that is arranged substantially within animmersion chamber 10, wherein the stage 30 is substantially above thebottom of and substantially below the top of the immersion chamber 10.The immersion chamber is then filled with a liquid, preferably deionizedwater, such that at least a portion of the slide 40 is immersed in theliquid and the surface of the liquid is below the top of the immersionchamber 10. At this point, the specimen 5 (or a plurality of specimens)is placed in the liquid such that the specimen is arranged above atleast a portion of the slide 40; because the liquid is preferably denserthan the specimen 5, the specimen 5 floats on the surface of the liquid.The liquid is then drawn from the immersion chamber 10, such as by apump 60 or by gravity through a valve 100. As the liquid is drawn fromthe immersion chamber 10, the surface of the liquid lowers within theimmersion chamber 10, and the specimen 5, which is still floating on thesurface of the liquid, approaches the slide 40. Once the surface of theliquid lowers beyond the slide 40, the specimen 5 is deposited on slide40. The portion of the slide 40 on which the specimen 5 is mounted maybe drawn from the liquid, and an additional specimen may be deposited onthe slide in like manner but on a different portion of the slide 40.Once an appropriate number of specimens are mounted on the slide 40, theslide 40 with mounted specimen(s) may be removed from the immersionchamber 10 and allowed to dry. This process may then be repeated for anew slide and specimen(s).

The system preferably incorporates an immersion chamber 10 configured tohold a liquid. The density of the liquid is preferably more than thedensity of the specimen 5 so that the specimen 5 will float on theliquid. The liquid is preferably deionized water, but any other suitableliquid may be chosen such that the density of the liquid is more thanthe density of the specimen 5. However, additives may also be mixed intothe liquid in order to alter the density of the liquid such that thespecimen 5 will float on or be suspended in the liquid. Alternatively, agas may also be bubbled into the liquid in order to reduce the densityof the liquid.

The immersion chamber 10 of the preferred embodiment functions to holdthe liquid. The liquid is retained within the immersion chamber 10 by acavity defined by at least one side, a top that is preferably open, anda bottom that is preferably closed. The height of the immersion chamber10 is preferably greater than its diameter (or width). For example, theimmersion chamber 10 may be approximately ten inches tall andapproximately six inches in diameter (or width). The immersion chamber10 is preferably approximately circular, which promotes laminar (ornon-turbulent) fluid flow of the liquid when the liquid is drawn fromthe immersion chamber 10. Laminar fluid flow promotes efficientdeposition of the specimen 5 onto the slide 40 while also minimizing anypossible damage to the specimen 5. One end of the immersion chamber 10is preferably flat and completely sealed, while the other end ispreferably completely open. The immersion chamber 10 may, however, haveany suitable shape and may have any suitable height-to-width ratio. Theimmersion chamber 10 may also incorporate a plurality of partitions intoeach of which one or more specimens may be placed over one or moreslides. In this embodiment, the partitions may aid in guiding thespecimen 5 onto the slide 40 as the liquid is drawn from the immersionchamber 10. Alternatively, the immersion chamber 10 may be one of anassembly of multiple immersion chambers arranged such that the immersionchambers are linked with fluid passages. In this alternative embodiment,the liquid may be drawn from or added to the plurality of immersionchambers concurrently, and a specimen 5 may be mounted on a slide 40 ineach immersion chamber 10, thus increasing the throughput of the systemper unit of time.

The stage 30 of the preferred embodiment functions to locate the slide40 during preparation of the specimen 5 onto the slide 40. The stage 30is preferably arranged within the immersion chamber 10 such that thestage 30 is substantially above the bottom of and substantially belowthe top of the immersion chamber 10. Preferably, the stage 30 supportsthe slide in a substantially angled orientation, wherein an angledorientation is defined from horizontal and horizontal is defined asparallel to the surface of the liquid when the liquid is placed in theimmersion chamber 10. This arrangement of the stage 30 permits the slide40 to rest on the stage 30 at an angle such that only a portion of theslide 40 may be immersed in the liquid. Preferably, the slide 40 restsflat on a surface of the stage 30, wherein the stage is supported at anangle between seven and fifteen degrees from horizontal. Alternatively,the stage may be supported such that a significant portion of the stage30 is parallel to the surface of the liquid in the immersion chamber,wherein the stage 30 incorporates features that support the slide at anangle between seven and fifteen degrees from the horizontal. However,the stage 30 may support the slide 40 at any other angle and by anyother means. The stage 30 is preferably circular in geometry andcomposed of plastic. However, any other material, such as stainlesssteel or glass, may comprise the stage 30, and the stage 30 may be ofany other geometry, such as rectangular or octagonal. Furthermore, thecircumference of the stage 30 may extend substantially close to the wall(or walls) of the immersion chamber 10 or alternatively may be offsetfrom the wall (or walls) of the immersion chamber 10 by some appreciabledistance. The stage 30 preferably incorporates geometry that permits theliquid to pass from one side of the stage 30 to the opposite side of thestage 30. Preferably, the liquid passes from one side of the stage tothe opposite side of the stage via a path that is sufficiently normal toat least one side of the stage. In a first example, the stage 30 maycomprise an annular ring defining a central hole, such as a five-inchouter diameter ring with a four-inch diameter central hole. In a secondexample, the stage 30 may further define a number of small holessituated radially about a larger central hole and arranged atapproximately equal intervals about the annular stage 30. In a thirdexample, the stage 30 is comprised of a porous material, such as a finemesh screen or foam, wherein the liquid can pass through the porousstage 30. However, the stage 30 may be of any other suitable geometryand of any other suitable material or combination of materials. In apreferred embodiment of the stage 30, the stage 30 further comprises anindexing latch that permits a user to raise the slide 40 from theimmersion chamber 10 at specified height intervals, thus aiding the userin mounting multiple specimens to the slide 40 at specified intervalsalong the slide. The indexing latch may be incorporated such that theposition of the stage 30 relative to the immersion chamber 10 does notchange when the slide 40 is raised; alternatively, the indexing latchmay raise the stage 30, thus raising the slide 40, which rests on thestage 30. The indexing latch may be a step block and pawl, ascrew-driven platform, or any other suitable device. However, thefunction of the indexing latch may be achieved by lowering the height ofthe liquid in the immersion chamber 10 by a specified amount after eachsubsequent mounting of a specimen 5 on the slide 40.

The support structure 20 of the preferred embodiment functions to locatethe stage 30 within the immersion chamber 10 such that when the stage 30rests on the support structure 20 and the slide 40 rests on the stage30, the slide 40 is at least partially submersed in the liquid withoutthe liquid overflowing past the top of the immersion chamber 10. Thesupport structure 20 may be integral to the immersion chamber 10. Forexample, the immersion chamber 10 may be comprised of a circular glasscontainer including three equally-spaced dimples about the circumferenceof the cylindrical wall of the immersion chamber 10 and protruding fromthe cylindrical wall toward the center of the container, wherein thedimples are arranged above the bottom of and below the top of theimmersion chamber 10 (shown in FIG. 3). In this example, the dimples areof a size and geometry such that the stage 30 rests on the dimples andis suitably located when placed in the immersion chamber 10.Alternatively, the support structure 20 may be separate from theimmersion chamber 10. In a first example, the support structure may be astand comprising three adjustable-length legs that rest upon the bottomof the immersion chamber 10 and which support the stage 30 (shown inFIG. 4). In this example, a user may adjust the support structure 20 toa preferred height such that the stage 30, resting upon the supportstructure, is suitably located within the immersion chamber 10. In asecond example of a support structure 20 that is independent of theimmersion chamber 10, the support structure 20 may comprise a hook thatloops over a wall of the immersion chamber 10 and extends from the edgeof the wall down into the immersion chamber where the support structureincorporates a geometry configured to support the stage 40 in a suitablelocation. Alternatively, the support structure 20 may be integral withthe stage 30. For example, the stage 30 may incorporate a structure thatextends upward toward the edge of a wall of the immersion chamber 10,then over the wall, forming a hook that locates the stage 30 at asuitable location within the immersion chamber 10. Furthermore, thesystem may not include a support structure 20 for the stage 30, butrather the stage 30 may be integral to the immersion chamber. Forexample, the immersion chamber 10 may be a rectilinear containercomprised of folded and welded stainless steel sheet, and the stage 30may also be comprised of stainless steel sheet welded to the interiorwalls of the container. However, the stage 30 may be suitably locatedwithin the immersion chamber 10 by any other method or structure.

In a first preferred embodiment, the system incorporates a pump 60 thatfunctions to draw liquid from the immersion chamber 10. In an exemplarymethod of using this preferred embodiment, once the slide 40 is placedon the stage 30, the immersion chamber 10 is filled with liquid suchthat the liquid level is above the slide 40, and a specimen 5 is floatedon the surface of the liquid. Then the pump 60 may be driven such thatthe level of liquid within the immersion chamber 10 lowers and thespecimen approaches the slide 40. Once the specimen 5 is dispensed ontothe slide 40 and is thus mounted on the slide 40, the pump 60 may bestopped so that liquid is no longer drawn from the immersion chamber 10.The pump 60 may be of any suitable type, such as a centrifugal pump, aflexible-impeller pump, a diaphragm pump, a gear pump, a rotary-vanepump, a bellows pump, or a syringe-type device. The pump 60 may also bepowered by any suitable means, for example, with an electric motor, agasoline-powered engine, or human power. Furthermore, the pump 60 may belocated fully external to the immersion chamber 10, fully within theimmersion chamber 10, or a combination of within and external to theimmersion chamber. In a first example, the pump 60 is a centrifugal pumppowered by an electric motor and arranged fully within the immersionchamber 10 such that the pump 60 rests on the bottom of the immersionchamber 10 and the inlet of the pump 60 is substantially below the slide40. In this example, a flexible tube may be connected to the outlet ofthe pump 60 and arranged to pass over the top edge of a wall of theimmersion chamber 10 such that the liquid may be pumped through theflexible tube and out of the immersion chamber 10. In a second example,an outlet is incorporated near the bottom of the immersion chamber 10; anipple is fitted to the outlet and a flexible tube connects the nippleto a hand-powered bellows pump. In this second example, a user mayoperate the pump 60 to draw the liquid from the immersion chamber 10.However, the system may incorporate any other type of pump and any otherconfiguration such that liquid may be drawn from the immersion chamber10. The system may further incorporate a plurality of pumps. Preferably,the pump 60 operates at a plurality of speeds selectable by a user, andpreferably at least one of these speeds produces a volume of flowsubstantially minimal to limit motion of the liquid in the immersionchamber 10 in a direction tangent to the surface of the liquid,particularly near the surface of the liquid. In one variation of thepump 60, the pump 60 may operate in two directions such that liquid canbe both drawn from the immersion chamber 10 and pumped into theimmersion chamber 10 by the same pump. Alternatively, the system mayinclude a plurality of pumps wherein at least one pump functions to drawliquid from the immersion chamber 10 and at least one other pumpfunctions to pump liquid into the immersion chamber 10.

In a second preferred embodiment, the system incorporates a valve 100that functions to release liquid from the immersion chamber 10. Inessence, the pump of the first preferred embodiment is replaced by avalve and gravitational force in the second preferred embodiment. In anexemplary method of using this preferred embodiment, once the slide 40is placed on the stage 30, the immersion chamber 10 is filled withliquid such that the liquid level is above the slide 40, and a specimen5 is floated on the surface of the liquid. Then the valve 100 may thenbe opened so that liquid may pass through the valve 100, the level ofliquid within the immersion chamber 10 lowers, and the specimenapproaches the slide 40. Once the specimen 5 falls onto the slide 40 andis thus mounted on the slide 40, the valve 100 may be closed so thatliquid is no longer released from the immersion chamber 10. The valve100 may be of any suitable type, such as a globe valve, a ball valve, agate valve, a diaphragm valve, or a butterfly valve. In the variation ofthe system that uses a valve 100 to release liquid from the immersionchamber 10, an outlet may be arranged on the immersion chamber 10 suchthat the outlet is below the slide 40 when the slide 40 is placed on thestage 30. The valve 100 may be installed directly on the immersionchamber 10 at the outlet, but it may also be arranged substantiallyremote from the immersion chamber 10. For example, a tube may connectthe outlet of the immersion chamber 10 to the valve 100. The tube may bea flexible hose or a hard line, and the tube may be permanentlyconnected to the immersion chamber 10 (such as by a weld or braze) ortemporarily connected to the immersion chamber 10 (as in a flexible tubecoupled to a nipple installed in the outlet). However, the valve may beof any other type, arranged in any other location, and connected to theimmersion chamber 10 by any other suitable method. There also may be anynumber of valves, and the system may incorporate both a valve 100 and apump 60.

The reservoir 70 of the preferred embodiment functions to contain theliquid drawn from the immersion chamber 10 by the pump 60 or releasedfrom the immersion chamber 10 by the valve 100. The reservoir 70 may bearranged substantially remote from the immersion chamber 10, or thereservoir 70 may be a separate section or portion of the immersionchamber 10. In the first variation that incorporates a remote reservoir70, the reservoir 70 is preferably connected to the immersion chamber 10by a conduit, such as a tube, hose, or hard line, which permits theliquid to pass from the immersion chamber 10 to the reservoir 70.Furthermore, for the first embodiment (which incorporates the pump 60),the pump may be arranged substantially within the immersion chamber 10and a conduit may connect on one end to the outlet of the pump 60 and onthe other end to the remote reservoir 70. Alternatively, the pump may bearranged between the immersion chamber 10 and the reservoir 70 such thata first conduit connects the pump 60 to the immersion chamber 10 and asecond conduit connects the pump 60 to the reservoir 70. Finally, thepump 60 may be arranged within or on the reservoir 70 and a conduit mayconnect the pump 60 to the immersion chamber. In the second embodiment(which incorporates the valve 100), at least a portion of the reservoir70 is preferably arranged substantially below the outlet of the valve sothat gravity may draw liquid out of the immersion chamber 10 via thevalve 100 and into the reservoir 70. The system may optionally include aconduit to guide the liquid from the valve 100 into the reservoir 70.

In the second variation that incorporates the reservoir 70 as a separatesection of the immersion chamber 10, the reservoir 70 may be arrangedbelow, above, or next to the cavity comprising the immersion chamber 10.For example, the immersion chamber 10 and reservoir 70 may be comprisedof folded and welded stainless steel sheet, wherein a rectilinearcontainer includes a welded and sealed partition that defines theimmersion chamber 10 on one side and the reservoir 70 on the other side.In the embodiment that incorporates a pump 60, the pump 60 may belocated substantially within the immersion chamber 10, substantiallywithin the reservoir 70, substantially between the immersion chamber 10and the reservoir 70, or substantially remote from the immersion chamber10 and/or the reservoir 70. However, any other arrangement of thereservoir 70, immersion chamber 10, and pump 60 and/or valve 100 may beused. Any number of reservoirs, valves, and/or pumps may also be used.Preferably, the reservoir 70 is arranged such that liquid contained inthe reservoir 70 can be pumped or dumped back into the immersion chamber10, such as by a pump or by a conveyer-bucket system, respectively.

Liquid may pass through the manifold 50 as the liquid is drawn from theimmersion chamber 10 by the pump 60 or released from the immersionchamber 10 by the valve 100 (shown in FIG. 3). The manifold 50 of thepreferred embodiments functions to reduce motion of the liquid in adirection tangent to the surface of the liquid in the immersion chamber10, primarily at or near the surface of the liquid. By reducing suchmotion, the specimen 5 will be less likely to move along the surface ofthe liquid and away from the location in which the specimen 5 was placedby the user of the system. Specifically, the user of the system mayplace the specimen 5 substantially directly over slide 40, and if theliquid is induced to move near the surface of the liquid, the specimen 5may be disturbed such that the specimen 5 is guided away fromsubstantially directly over slide 40. This could result in poor orimproper mounting of the specimen 5 on the slide 40 at the end of themounting process. Therefore, the manifold 50 preferably has a pluralityof inlets, wherein the arrangement of the inlets may reduce turbulencein the liquid moving toward the pump 60 or valve 100 and/or may reduceswirling of the liquid when the liquid is removed from the immersionchamber 10. However, the manifold 50 may function in other ways to limitmotion of the liquid in the immersion chamber 10 in a direction tangentto the surface of the liquid and substantially proximal to the surfaceof the liquid. Preferably, the manifold includes at least one outletconnected to the pump 60 and/or valve 100. Several methods may be usedto connect the manifold 50 to the pump 60 and/or valve 100: a separateconduit (for example, a hose or tube) may connect the elements; themanifold 50 may mate directly to the pump 60 (or pumps) or valve 100 (orvalves) without the need for additional conduit; or the manifold 50 maybe integral with the pump 60 or valve 100. However, any otherarrangement or geometry of the manifold 50 may be used.

The baffle 110, which is arranged substantially within the immersionchamber 10, functions to reduce motion of the liquid in a directiontangent to the surface of the liquid, primarily at or near the surfaceof the liquid. By reducing such motion, the specimen 5 will be lesslikely to move along the surface of the liquid and away from thelocation in which the specimen 5 was placed by the user of the system.Specifically, the user of the system may place the specimen 5substantially directly over slide 40, and if the liquid is induced tomove near the surface of the liquid, the specimen 5 may be disturbedsuch that the specimen 5 is guided away from substantially directly overslide 40. This could result in poor or improper mounting of the specimen5 on the slide 40 at the end of the mounting process. In a firstexample, the baffle no comprises a series of fins arranged radiallywithin a circular immersion chamber 10; at least a portion of the finsare immersed in the liquid when at least a portion of the slide 40 issubmersed in the liquid (see FIG. 5), and preferably the fins extendbelow the lowest part of the slide 40. In a second example, the baffleno comprises a screen located within the immersion chamber 10, below theslide 40 and above the inlet of the pump 60, the inlet of the valve 100,and or the inlets of the manifold 50. In a third example, the baffle nois in the form of a substantially wide nozzle incorporating a screen andarranged over an inlet through which the liquid is drawn from theimmersion chamber 10. However, the baffle no may be of any otherarrangement or geometry, and a plurality of baffles of similar and/ordissimilar geometries may be arranged within the immersion chamber 10.

The temperature control unit 80 functions to maintain or modify thetemperature of the liquid in the system. In producing a specimen 5,oftentimes a relatively large mass of tissue is encased in wax (oranother binding agent) to improve rigidity when the tissue is slicedwith a microtome. Once the tissue mass is sliced and a specimen 5 isthus created, the wax may offer additional support to the specimen 5,which may improve the likelihood that the specimen 5 will lie flat onthe slide once mounted thereon; thus it may be advantageous to limit thetemperature of the liquid in the system so that the wax does not meltout of the specimen 5 when placed in the immersion chamber 10.Alternatively, is may be desirable to melt the wax out of the specimen 5after the slicing process, such as to improve the ability of thespecimen 5 to absorb a dye; this may be achieved by raising thetemperature of the liquid in the system so that the wax melts out of thespecimen 5 when placed in the immersion chamber 10. Therefore there maybe an ideal temperature of the liquid used to mount the specimen 5 tothe slide 40. The temperature control unit 80 may be preset for a singletemperature and thus maintain the liquid in the system at thistemperature. Alternatively, the temperature control unit 80 may receivean input from a user and maintain the liquid in the system at aplurality of temperatures, wherein the temperature is based upon theinput. Finally, a computer or processor that operates the system mayselect the desired temperature and communicate this information to thetemperature control unit 80, which in turn modifies the temperate of atleast a portion of the liquid in the system based upon the desiredtemperature. In a first example, the temperature control unit 80 maycomprise a heating and/or cooling plate upon which the immersion chamber10 is arranged. In a second example, the temperature control unit 80 mayinclude a heating element disposed substantially within the immersionchamber 10 and/or the reservoir 70. In a third example, the temperaturecontrol unit 80 may incorporate a heating and/or cooling element inlinewith at least a portion of the conduit between the immersion chamber 10and the reservoir 70, pump 60, or valve 100. The temperature controlunit 80 may incorporate a feedback mechanism, wherein the temperaturecontrol unit 80 measures the temperature of at least a portion of theliquid in the system and adds or removes heat from at least a portion ofthe liquid based upon this measurement. The temperature control unit 80may achieve this measurement with a temperature probe, wherein thetemperature probe is arranged substantially within the immersion chamber10, substantially within the reservoir 70, or substantially within anyother element of the system. Alternatively, the temperature probe may bean infrared or laser temperature sensor located substantially remotefrom the immersion chamber 10 or reservoir 70.

The filter 90 (i.e., a semi-permeable membrane) functions to separatedebris from the liquid in the system. Debris may include a portion ofthe specimen 5, wax from the specimen 5, or any other contaminant. Thefilter 90 may be a paper filter, a screen filter, a sand filter, acharcoal filter, or any other type of filter through which the liquidmay pass. In a first example, the filter 90 is a paper filter placedbetween the stage and the slide 40 before the immersion chamber 10 isfilled with liquid. In this example, when the immersion chamber 10 isfilled with liquid, the liquid rises up to the stage 30, through thefilter 90, and over the slide 40; when the liquid is removed from theimmersion chamber 10 after the specimen 5 is floated on the surface ofthe liquid over the slide 40, the liquid lowers past the slide 40 andthe filter 90, wherein the filter 90 catches debris and prevents thedebris from passing below the stage 30. After the specimen 5 is mountedon the slide 40 and the slide-specimen assembly is removed from theimmersion chamber 10, the filter 90 may be removed and, with it, thedebris. In a second example, a first pump draws liquid from theimmersion chamber 10 and into a the reservoir 70, and a second pumpdraws liquid from the reservoir 70, pumps it through a charcoal filter90, and deposits the liquid in the reservoir 70; the charcoal filter 90thus prevents debris from flowing back into the immersion chamber 10.The charcoal filter 90 may be cleaned or replaced at some interval.However, any suitable type, arrangement, or number of filters may beused.

The system may be controllable via a control system such as, forexample, a computer. Alternatively, or additionally, the system may becontrollable using manual controls affixed to one or more components ofthe system.

As a person skilled in the art will recognize from the previous detaileddescription and from the figures and claims, modifications and changescan be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention withoutdeparting from the scope of this invention as defined in the followingclaims.

I claim:
 1. A method for mounting a specimen on a slide, the methodcomprising the steps of: placing the slide on a stage arranged within animmersion chamber; filling the immersion chamber with a liquid such thata surface of the liquid is above at least a portion of the slide;introducing the specimen to the immersion chamber such that the specimenfloats on the surface of the liquid and is arranged substantially overthe slide; releasing liquid from the immersion chamber such that a levelof liquid in the immersion chamber decreases and the specimen isdispensed onto the slide; and filtering debris from the liquid releasedfrom the immersion chamber.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprisingthe step of selecting the liquid such that a density of the liquidpermits the specimen to float in the liquid.
 3. The method of claim 1,further comprising the step of placing a filter between the stage andthe slide.
 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step ofreplacing the filter once the filter has separated a sufficient amountof debris from the liquid.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprisingthe step of modifying a temperature of at least a portion of the liquidin the immersion chamber.